Member Biographies – Standing Senate Committee on National Finance (44-1)
Updated September 9, 2024
Claude Carignan - Chair
Conservative - (Quebec - Mille Isles)
Year Appointed to The Senate: 2009
Professional Background
- Called to Quebec Bar in 1988, specializing in civil litigation, public law, labour relations, and health and social services law.
- Member of the Privy Council.
- Has served as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Leader of the Government in the Senate, and was a member of Cabinet.
Committee Membership
- Chair: National Finance
- Deputy Chair: Declaration of Emergency (Special Joint); Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
- Member: Legal and Constitutional Affairs; Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators; Library of Parliament (Joint); National Security, Defense and Veterans Affairs
Éric Forest – Deputy Chair
Independent Senators Group - (Quebec - Gulf)
Year Appointed to The Senate: 2016
Professional Background
- Career has focused on the economic, social, tourist and cultural development of Eastern Quebec.
- Former city councilor, mayor, field hockey team manager, and president of the Union des municipalités du Québec.
Committee Membership
- Chair: Subcommittee on Senate Estimates and Committee Budgets
- Deputy Chair: National Finance
- Member: Subcommittee on Long Term Vision and Plan; Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Pierre J. Dalphond
Progressive Senate Group – (Quebec – De Lorimier)
Year Appointed to The Senate: 2018
Professional Background
- Former Justice of the Quebec Superior Court and Quebec Court of Appeal.
- Has written leading judgements on language rights, freedom of association, freedom of speech, treaty rights, separation of powers, class action, sharing of parental responsibilities and abuse of judicial process.
Committee Membership
- Deputy Chair: Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
- Member: National Finance; Agriculture and Forestry; Legal and Constitutional Affairs; Scrutiny of Regulations (Joint); Subcommittee on Long Term Vision and Plan; Subcommittee on Senate Estimates and Committee Budgets; Official Languages
Rosa Galvez
Independent Senators Group – (Quebec – Bedford)
Year Appointed to The Senate: 2016
Professional Background
- One of Canada’s leading experts in pollution control and its effect on human health.
- Has advised a number of international organizations including on Canada-US and Quebec-Vermont agreements regarding the protection of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River.
- Conducted an important study on the catastrophic oil spill at Lac-Mégantic.
Committee Membership
- Member: Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources; National Finance
Clément Gignac
Progressive Senate Group – (Quebec – Kennebec)
Year Appointed to The Senate: 2021
Professional Background
- Economist with over 35 years of experience in the public and private sectors.
- Served in National Assembly of Québec.
- Also served as Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade and Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife for the Quebec government.
Committee Membership
- Member: National Finance; Banking, Commerce, and the Economy
Joan Kingston
Independent Senators Group – (New Brunswick)
Year Appointed to The Senate: 2023
Professional Background
- Registered nurse and a former member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick.
- Worked as a principal secretary for government affairs in the Office of the Premier of New Brunswick, and as a senior advisor to the Policy and Priorities Committee of the Cabinet of New Brunswick.
Committee Membership
- Member: National Finance
Tony Loffreda
Independent Senators Group – (Quebec – Shawinegan)
Year Appointed to The Senate: 2019
Professional Background
- 35 years of experience in financial industry, including as a Vice Chairman and Executive at RBC.
- Has served on various boards and committees including:
- the Concordia University Board of Governors;
- the Integrated Health and Social Services University Network for West-Central Montréal;
- the Italian-Canadian Community Foundation;
- and the executive committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montréal.
Committee Membership
- Deputy Chair: Banking, Commerce, and the Economy
- Member: Subcommittee on Senate Estimates and Committee Budgets; Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration; National Finance
Jane MacAdam
Independent Senators Group – (Prince Edward Island)
Year Appointed to The Senate: 2023
Professional Background
- Served as the Auditor General of Prince Edward Island from 2013 to 2020.
- Has over 40 years of experience in legislative auditing Office of the Auditor General of Prince Edward Island.
Committee Membership
- Member: Subcommittee on Human Resources; National Finance
Elizabeth Marshall
Conservative – (Newfoundland and Labrador)
Year Appointed to The Senate: 2010
Professional Background
- Former Auditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Has worked with Newfoundland and Labrador Public Service, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly.
- Positions included Deputy Minister of Transportation and Works, and Deputy Minister of Social Services, as well as several senior positions in the Department of Finance.
Committee Membership
- Member: National Finance; Banking, Commerce and the Economy
Kim Pate
Independent Senators Group – (Ontario)
Year Appointed to The Senate: 2016
Professional Background
- Career working in legal and penal systems of Canada, with and on behalf of some of the most marginalized, victimized, criminalized and institutionalized — particularly imprisoned youth, men and women.
- Widely credited as the driving force behind the Inquiry into Certain Events at the Prison for Women in Kingston (concerned with prisoners' rights and the treatment of federally-incarcerated women).
- During the Inquiry, she supported women as they aired their experiences and was a critical resource and witness in the Inquiry itself.
Committee Membership
- Member: National Finance; Human Rights; Legal and Constitutional Affairs
Krista Ross
Canadian Senators Group – (New Brunswick)
Year Appointed to The Senate: 2023
Professional Background
- Business and community leader who worked with the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce for 20 years.
- During her time with the organization, served for 12 years as Chief Executive Officer and for eight years as general manager.
- Served as a commissioner with the Electoral Boundaries and Representation Commission for New Brunswick.
Committee Membership
- Member: National Finance
Larry W. Smith
Canadian Senators Group – (Quebec - Saurel)
Year Appointed to The Senate: 2010
Professional Background
- Former President, CEO and player of the Montreal Alouettes.
- Served as Commissioner of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
- Has served on a number of civic charitable boards, including as Co-President of the Montreal Centraide Campaign and on the board of the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Committee Membership
- Deputy Chair: Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
- Member: National Finance; Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators; Declaration of Emergency (Special Joint)